An insect-resistant protein exhibiting a sufficient resistance to insects; an insect-resistance gene encoding the insect-resistant protein; a recombinant vector containing the insect-resistance gene; a host cell and a plant cell having the recombinant vector transfected thereinto; a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene and a method for producing the same; a protein recovered thereby; and an insect-resistant agent comprising them as active ingredients. In accordance with the present invention, the insect-resistant protein is derived from a plant.

1. An isolated insect-resistance protein derived from a plant, comprising: an amino acid sequence having 95% or more homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4.

2. An isolated insect-resistance protein derived from a plant, comprising: an amino acid sequence having 95% or more homology with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5.

3. The insect-resistance protein according to claim 1, wherein the plant is a moraceous plant; and the insect-resistance protein is extracted from a latex of said moraceous plant.

4. The insect resistance protein according to claim 1, wherein the insect-resistance protein is obtained by extracting a latex of a moraceous plant, centrifuging said latex to separate a supernatant, electrophoresing said supernatant on non-denaturing conditions to fractionate the supernatant, and collecting the insect-resistance protein from a fraction having a molecular weight of 50-60 kDa.

6. An isolated insect-resistance gene derived from a plant and comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an insect-resistance protein, comprising: a DNA sequence having 98% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6.

7. An isolated insect-resistance gene derived from a plant and comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an insect-resistance protein, comprising: a DNA sequence having 98% or more homology with the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7.

8. A recombinant vector comprising the insect-resistance gene according to claim 6.

9. A host cell comprising the recombinant vector according to claim 8.

10. A plant cell comprising the recombinant vector according to claim 8.

11. A transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 6.

12. A method for producing a transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 6, comprising: transforming a plant with the insect-resistance gene, and obtaining a transformed plant comprising the insect-resistance gene.

13. An insect-resistance agent comprising as an active ingredient the isolated insect-resistance protein according to claim 1, wherein the agent is in a powdery form, granular form, or a tablet form.

14. An insect-resistance agent comprising as an active ingredient the isolated insect-resistance gene according to claim 6, wherein the agent is in a powdery form, granular form, or a tablet form.

15. The insect-resistance protein according to claim 2, wherein the plant is a moraceous plant; and the insect-resistance protein is extracted from a latex of said moraceous plant.

16. An insect-resistance protein according to claim 2, wherein the insect-resistance protein is obtained by extracting a latex of a moraceous plant, centrifuging said latex to separate a supernatant, electrophoresing said supernatant on nondenaturing conditions to fractionate the supernatant, and collecting the insect-resistance protein from a fraction having a molecular weight of 50-60 kDa.

18. A recombinant vector comprising the insect-resistance gene according to claim 5.

19. A recombinant vector comprising the insect-resistance gene according to claim 7.

20. A transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 5.

21. A transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 7.

22. A method for producing a transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 5, comprising: transforming a plant with the insect-resistance gene, and obtaining a transformed plant comprising the insect-resistance gene.

23. A method for producing a transformant transformed with the insect-resistance gene according to claim 7, comprising: transforming a plant with the insect-resistance gene, and obtaining a transformed plant comprising the insect-resistance gene.

24. An insect-resistance agent comprising as an active ingredient the isolated insect-resistance protein according to claim 2, wherein the agent is in a powdery form, granular form, or a tablet form.

25. An insect-resistance agent comprising as an active ingredient the isolated insect-resistance gene according to claim 5, wherein the agent is in a powdery form, granular form, or a tablet form.

26. An insect-resistance agent comprising as an active ingredient the isolated insect-resistance gene according to claim 7, wherein the agent is in a powdery form, granular form, or a tablet form.

Description:

This application is a national stage entry of PCT/JP2008/053794, filed Mar. 3, 2008, which claims foreign priority to 2007-052798, filed Mar. 2, 2007.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an insect-resistant protein; an insect-resistance gene encoding the insect-resistant protein; a recombinant vector containing the insect-resistance gene; a host cell and a plant cell transfected with the recombinant vector; a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene and a method for producing the same; a protein recovered thereby; and an insect-resistant agent comprising them as active ingredients.

BACKGROUND ART

A protein having an insect resistance (hereinafter referred to as “insect-resistant protein”) is a material essential for transferring genes into a plant to carry out hereditary breeding of a genetically insect-resistant plant. It may be also used as a novel insect-resistant agent such as agricultural chemicals by spraying an insect-resistant protein expressed in microorganisms, cultured cells and individual multicellular animals and plants and recovered.

Insect-resistant proteins which are widely industrially used include Bt toxins (proteins) produced by Bacillus thuringiensis, which is a Gram-positive bacterium.

Such Bt toxins at low concentrations (about 1 ppm) are known to exhibit insecticidal and insect-resistant activities (e.g., see Non-Patent Document 1 or 2).

However, the above Bt toxins are derived from bacteria and thus have a deep-seated resistance for use as genetic resources for recombinants, such as gene recombination, and therefore it has been desired to detect insect-resistant proteins derived from plants.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

However, it cannot be said that the Bt toxins which are insect-resistant proteins described in the above Non-Patent Documents 1 or 2 have a sufficient resistance to insects. In fact, insects having a resistance to the Bt toxins, such as Plutella xylostella and Ostrinia furnacalis, have appeared.

The protease inhibitors described in the above Non-Patent Document 3 or Patent Document 1 show only such a degree of insect resistance activity as to reduce the growth of webworms by half in two weeks, even when added at a high concentration reaching 2% of total proteins.

The amylase inhibitors described in the above Non-Patent Document 4, when expressed in Pisum sativum, kill only 70% of vetch bruchid by a high expression of 2-3% of total soluble proteins of the beans, but 30% grow up normally. In addition, the expression of 1% shows such weak insect-resistant activity that 80% or more grow up to adults normally.

The lectins described in the above Non-Patent Document 5 or Patent Document 2 have such an extremely weak insect-resistant activity that the weight of a webworm fed with an artificial diet provided abundantly with a concentration of 2% of total proteins for one month is reduced by about 20%.

In other words, all of the protease inhibitors, amylase inhibitors and lectins described in the above Non-Patent Documents 3-5 and Patent Documents 1 and 2 have an insufficient insect-resistant activity.

An object of the present invention is to provide an insect-resistant protein exhibiting a sufficient resistance to insects, even when used in a small amount; an insect-resistance gene encoding said insect-resistant protein; a recombinant vector containing said insect-resistance gene; a host cell and a plant cell transfected with the recombinant vector; a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene and a method for producing the same; a protein recovered thereby; and an insect-resistant agent comprising them as active ingredients.

Solution to Problem

The present inventors undertook thorough research for solving the above problems and thus found that, of proteins obtained from plant latexes, a protein having a given amino acid sequence has excellent insect resistance. As a result of further extensive research, the present inventors found that the above problems can be solved, and the present invention was thus accomplished.

Specifically, the present invention relates to (1) an insect-resistant protein derived from a plant, comprising a first amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 in the Sequence Listing, a second amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in the Sequence Listing and a third amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence Listing, wherein the second amino acid sequence has at least one spppp sequence.

The present invention relates to (2) the insect-resistant protein in accordance with the above (1), wherein the second amino acid sequence is positioned between the first amino acid sequence and the third amino acid sequence.

The present invention relates to (3) an insect-resistant protein derived from a plant, comprising a fourth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4 in the Sequence Listing and at least one spppp sequence.

The present invention relates to (4) an insect-resistant protein derived from a plant, comprising a fifth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:5 in the Sequence Listing and at least one spppp sequence.

The present invention relates to (5) the insect-resistant protein in accordance with the above (1), wherein the plant is a moraceous plant and the insect-resistant protein is extracted from a latex of said moraceous plant.

The present invention relates to (6) an insect-resistant protein obtained by extracting a latex of a moraceous plant, centrifuging said latex to separate a supernatant, electrophoresing said supernatant under nondenaturing conditions to fractionate the supernatant, and collecting the insect-resistant protein from a fraction having a molecular weight of 50-60 kDa.

The present invention relates to (7) an insect-resistance gene encoding the insect-resistant protein in accordance with any one of the above (1) to (6).

The present invention relates to (8) an insect-resistance gene derived from a plant, comprising a sixth DNA having a 50% or more homology with DNA constituted of a base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 6 in the Sequence Listing and at least one base sequence encoding an spppp sequence.

The present invention relates to (9) the insect-resistance gene in accordance with the above (8), wherein the sixth DNA is hybridized with DNA constituted of a complementary base sequence under stringent conditions.

The present invention relates to (10) an insect-resistance gene derived from a plant, comprising a seventh DNA having a 50% or more homology with DNA constituted of a base sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:7 in the Sequence Listing and at least one base sequence encoding an spppp sequence.

The present invention relates to (11) the insect-resistance gene in accordance with the above (10), wherein the seventh DNA is hybridized with DNA constituted of a complementary base sequence under stringent conditions.

The present invention relates to (12) a recombinant vector comprising the insect-resistance gene in accordance with any one of the above (8) to (11).

The present invention relates to (13) a host cell transfected with the recombinant vector in accordance with the above (12).

The present invention relates to (14) a plant cell transfected with the recombinant vector in accordance with the above (12).

The present invention relates to (15) a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene in accordance with any one of the above (8) to (11).

The present invention relates to (16) a method for producing a transformant transformed by the insect-resistance gene in accordance with any one of the above (8) to (11).

The present invention relates to (17) a protein recovered from the host cell in accordance with the above (13).

The present invention relates to (18) a protein recovered from the plant cell in accordance with the above (14).

The present invention relates to (19) a protein recovered from the transformant in accordance with the above (15) or (16).

The present invention relates to (20) an insect-resistant agent comprising as an active ingredient the insect-resistant protein in accordance with any one of the above (1) to (6).

The present invention relates to (21) an insect-resistant agent comprising as an active ingredient the insect-resistance gene in accordance with any one of the above (8) to (11).

Furthermore, a configuration in which the above (1) to (21) are appropriately combined can be also adopted if serving the object of the present invention.

Advantageous Effects

In accordance with an insect-resistant protein of the present invention, sufficient insect resistance is shown even at extremely low concentration.

In addition, the above insect-resistant protein is derived from a plant and has a low toxicity towards humans.

Furthermore, the above insect-resistant protein, by its coexistence with sugar-mimic alkaloids or other insect-resistant factors, has an action of boosting the functions of said insect-resistant factors.

The above insect-resistant protein, where the plant is a moraceous plant and the insect-resistant protein is extracted from a latex of said moraceous plant, is contained abundantly in said latex at one to several percent, and therefore is comparatively easily purified.

The above insect-resistant protein, when used as an insect-resistant agent, can easily remove insects which damage humans or insects which inhibit the growth of plants.

In accordance with the gene of the present invention, the gene can be transferred into a plant to carryout hereditary breeding of a genetically insect-resistant plant.

The recombinant vector of the present invention shows the function of carrying the above gene into a foreign host. Thereby, the above gene can be integrated into another gene.

For example, the above recombinant vector can be transferred into host cells or plant cells.

In accordance with the transformant of the present invention, in plants transformed with the above gene, the complicated operation of spraying of agricultural chemicals may be omitted, and an effect can be easily produced against pest insects which lie hidden in plant tissues such as stems and are difficult to exterminate.

In accordance with the protein recovered by the host cell, the plant cell and the transformant, sufficient insect resistance is shown.

The above insect-resistant protein and the above insect-resistance gene are preferably used as the active ingredients of an insect-resistant agent.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (a) is a view illustrating the results of Native-PAGE electrophoresis in Examples of the present invention; and (b) is a photograph indicating the results of SDS-PAGE electrophoresis in Examples of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph indicating the results of the insect resistance evaluation 1 in Examples of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a graph indicating the results of the insect resistance evaluation 2 in Examples of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph indicating the results of the insect resistance evaluation 3 in Examples of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a photograph indicating the results of protease resistance in Examples of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

(Insect-Resistant Protein)

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention, derived from a plant, comprises a first amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence Listing (hereinafter also conveniently referred to as “first protein fragment”), a second amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in the Sequence Listing (hereinafter also conveniently referred to as “second protein fragment”) and a third amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence Listing (hereinafter also conveniently referred to as “third protein fragment”), wherein the above homologies are independent respectively.

The above insect-resistant protein has the first amino acid sequence, the second amino acid sequence and the third amino acid sequence, wherein the second amino acid sequence has at least one spppp sequence and, therefore, shows sufficient insect resistance, even at an extremely low concentration.

In the case of a homology of 100%, the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing (first protein fragment) is the same as the first amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in the Sequence Listing (second protein fragment) is the same as the second amino acid sequence, and the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence Listing (third protein fragment) is the same as the third amino acid sequence.

Accordingly, in case of a homology of 100%, the insect-resistant protein of the present invention comprises the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence Listing, the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in the Sequence Listing and the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 in the Sequence Listing. The above first protein fragment and the above third protein fragment are chitin binding motifs and are observed to have a homology with chitin binding protein mimicking hevein derived from rubber.

As used herein, a chitin binding protein mimicking hevein means a protein having a property of binding to chitin having a single or a plurality of amino acid sequences constituted of about 40 amino acids, which is seen in hevein and mimics a chitin binding site of which the inside is crosslinked by cysteine residue, in molecules.

On the other hand, the repetition of a specific spppp sequence (SerProProProPro) is seen in the above second protein fragment. Further, in accordance with the insect-resistant protein of the present invention, the second amino acid sequence has at least one spppp sequence.

As used herein, the spppp sequence means a sequence in which typically 4, sometimes 3-7 residues Pro are bound together following Ser. Such spppp sequences are characterized by generally plurally repeated.

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention comprises the first amino acid sequence, the second amino acid sequence and the third amino acid sequence and therefore exhibits excellent insect resistance.

As used herein, the insect resistance means an insecticidal property or the characteristic of inhibiting the growth of insects (hereinafter referred to as “growth inhibition property”).

The sequence order of the first amino acid sequence, the second amino acid sequence and the third amino acid sequence is not particularly limited, but the second amino acid sequence is preferably positioned between the first amino acid sequence and the third amino acid sequence.

In this case, more insect resistance is shown.

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention is constituted of, for example, a fourth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:4 in the Sequence Listing (hereinafter also referred to as “active partial amino acid sequence”). In case of a homology of 100%, the amino acid sequence (active partial amino acid sequence) represented by SEQ ID NO:4 in the Sequence Listing is the same as the fourth amino acid sequence.

Such a fourth amino acid sequence has at least one spppp sequence, and the amino acid sequence is identified by the reverse transcription reaction of total RNA derived from a latex to a template.

In the active partial amino acid sequence, the second protein fragment is observed at amino acid number 46-97, and the first protein fragment and the third protein fragment are present at amino acid number 6-44 and amino acid number 106-144, respectively, so as to sandwich the second protein fragment. Further, in the active partial amino acid sequence, the function of the amino acid sequence beginning at amino acid number 145 is not definite but is believed to have the information of an enzyme for decomposing chitin.

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention comprises, for example, a fifth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:5 in the Sequence Listing (hereinafter also referred to as “full-length amino acid sequence”). Further, in case of a homology of 100%, the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 5 in the Sequence Listing (full-length amino acid sequence) is the same as the fifth amino acid sequence.

Such a fifth amino acid sequence has at least one spppp sequence, and the amino acid sequence is identified by the reverse transcription reaction of total RNA derived from a latex to a template.

The full-length amino acid sequence includes an active partial amino acid sequence. Specifically, the amino acid number 1-21 of the full-length amino acid sequence is added to the active partial amino acid sequence.

In the full-length amino acid sequence, the second protein fragment is observed at amino acid number 67-118, and the first protein fragment and the third protein fragment are present at amino acid number 27-65 and amino acid number 127-165, respectively, so as to sandwich the second protein fragment.

Further, in the full-length amino acid sequence, the amino acid sequence at base number 1-21 is believed to have positional information for integrating the above insect-resistant protein into an adequate position.

In addition, the function of the amino acid sequence beginning at amino acid number 165 is not definite but is believed to have the information of an enzyme for decomposing chitin.

In accordance with the insect-resistant protein constituted of the full-length amino acid sequence, an amino acid sequence will be integrated into a precise position, and therefore insect resistance is more surely shown. Further, the insect-resistant protein constituted of these amino acid sequences is excellent in insect resistance though exhibiting no chitinase activity.

In addition, the above insect-resistant protein is derived from a plant and therefore has a low resistance to consumers and low toxicity in humans in comparison with proteins derived from bacteria.

Such a plant is not particularly limited but is preferably a plant containing a latex.

Specific examples include plants belonging to the family Asteraceae, the family Campanulaceae, the family Convolvulaceae, the family Moraceae, the family Euphorbiaceae, the family Asclepiadaceae, the family Apocynaceae, the family Musaceae, the family Papaveraceae, the family Anacardiaceae, the family Guttiferae, the family Leguminosae, the family Cactaceae, the family Liliaceae, etc.

Of these, the above preferred plant is a plant belonging to the family Moraceae. Specifically, the above insect-resistant protein is more preferably extracted from the latex of moraceous plants.

Where the insect-resistant protein is extracted from moraceous plants, it is contained comparatively abundantly in the latex of the moraceous plants and therefore is easy to purify.

The insect-resistant protein, by its coexistence with insect-resistant factors such as sugar-mimic alkaloids, has an action of boosting the functions of said insect-resistant factors.

To both terminals of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 4 or 5 in the Sequence Listing, other amino acids may be linked.

In this case, from the viewpoint of showing an excellent insect resistance, 0.1 mass % or more of the total amount of protein containing the above other amino acids is preferably contained in the above amino acid sequence, and 0.2 mass % or more is more preferably contained in the above amino acid sequence.

The above insect-resistant protein is preferably used in insect-resistant agents such as insecticides, agricultural chemicals and baits for resisting insects.

As used herein, the baits for resisting insects mean baits which contain an insect-resistant substance and exhibit insect resistance by feeding insects therewith. Specifically, where the above insect-resistant protein is used as a bait for resisting insects, by feeding, e.g., insects which damage humans or inhibit the growth of plants therewith, the growth of the insects is inhibited or the insects are killed, and therefore the insects can be easily removed.

The homology of the insect-resistant protein of the present invention is described below.

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention comprises a first amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 in the Sequence Listing, a second amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 in the Sequence Listing and a third amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence Listing.

Preferably, the insect-resistant protein of the present invention also comprises a fourth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:4 in the Sequence Listing.

More preferably, the insect-resistant protein of the present invention further comprises a fifth amino acid sequence having a 50% or more homology with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:5 in the Sequence Listing.

As used herein, a 50% or more homology means that, in a given amino acid sequence (first protein fragment, second protein fragment, third protein fragment, active partial amino acid sequence and full-length amino acid sequence), 50% or more of the amino acids are in the same sequence. Specifically, it means that one or a plurality of amino acids of less than 50% of a given amino acid sequence may be changed by substitution, deletion, addition and/or insertion.

The above homology is preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more, still more preferably 90% or more, further preferably 95% or more, still further preferably 98% or more, particularly preferably 99% or more, most preferably 100%.

In the above given amino acid sequence (first protein fragment, second protein fragment, third protein fragment, active partial amino acid sequence and full-length amino acid sequence), the number of amino acids which are substituted, deleted, added and/or inserted is not particularly limited where the DNA encoding the amino acid sequence has the desired insect resistance, but is preferably nine or less, more preferably four or less.

If it is in the ranges, the insect resistance is not eliminated surely.

Further, the above insect-resistant protein includes, e.g., a mutant, a derivative, an allele, a variant and a homolog which encode a protein constituted of the same amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or 5 except that one or a plurality of amino acids are substituted, deleted, added and/or inserted.

The homology of an amino acid sequence can be determined using the BLAST algorithm by Carlin and Altschul (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:2264-2268, 1990, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90: 5873, 1993). Further, programs referred to as BLASTN and BLASTX based on the BLAST algorithm have been developed (Altschul S F, et al: J Mol Biol 215: 403, 1990).

When an amino acid sequence is analyzed using BLASTX, parameters are set at, for example, score=50 and wordlength=3. When the BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs are used, the default parameters of the respective programs are used. Further, the specific procedures of these analysis methods are well known (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/).

(Synthesis of Insect-Resistant Protein)

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention can be synthesized by a solid-phase method, a liquid-phase method and biological synthesis.

As used herein, the solid-phase method refers to a method comprising: using, as a solid phase, e.g., polystyrene polymer gel beads having a diameter of about 0.1 mm having surfaces modified with an amino group; individually extending amino acid chains therefrom by dehydration reaction; and excising a completed peptide sequence of interest from a solid-phase surface to obtain a substance of interest.

In addition, the liquid-phase method comprises carrying out synthesis in a liquid phase without fixing peptides to be synthesized on a solid phase, wherein purification is carried out whenever one amino acid residue is extended.

The above biological synthesis is a method of constructing artificial DNA, in which coding regions having genetic codes for peptides to be synthesized are coupled, under the control of a promoter suitable for abundant expression, to be synthesized with the cultured cells of E. coli, yeast, insects or vertebrate animals. Further, living cells may not be always used, and a cell-free transcription-translation system using cell extracts containing all factors related to transcription and translation of genes may be used.

(Collection of Insect-Resistant Protein)

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention is collected as described below.

First, the latex of moraceous plants is extracted and is separated into a supernatant and a particle layer. Separating means therefor is not particularly limited but include centrifugation, filtration, etc.

Where centrifugation is carried out as the separating means, centrifugal force is preferably 15,000-20,000 G and rotation is preferably performed for 1-60 minutes.

Therefore, a supernatant containing at least 5% (rate of mass (g) to volume (ml)) of a desired protein is obtained. Further, the obtained supernatant is preferably filtered out through a filter having a bore diameter of 0.1-0.8 μm after the centrifugation. Thereby, impurities such as contaminations can be surely removed.

The insect-resistant protein of the present invention is then extracted from the obtained supernatant. Such extraction means include gel filtration chromatography, electrophoresis, ion exchange chromatography, etc.

Of these, electrophoresis is preferred, and electrophoresis under nondenaturing conditions (native-PAGE) is more preferred.

This case has an advantage of being able to efficiently remove other proteins. Further, the above electrophoresis encompasses carrier-free electrophoresis, paper electrophoresis, gel electrophoresis using agarose or polyacrylamide gel, isoelectric focusing electrophoresis, two-dimensional electrophoresis, capillary electrophoresis and pulsed-field electrophoresis.

Here, a case of carrying out polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis on nondenaturing conditions is described.

First, a buffer solution adjusted to pH 6.8-8.8 with a buffer such as a TBS buffer, PBS buffer, TE buffer, TAE buffer or TBE buffer.

Polyacrylamide gel is then introduced so that a blending rate is 12.5% (rate of mass (g) to volume (ml)). In addition, the above supernatant is introduced to carry out electrophoresis.

Then, the supernatant is fractionated into several bands. A fraction having a molecular weight of 50-60 kDa is collected therefrom and cultured to obtain the insect-resistant protein of the present invention.

(Gene)

The gene of the present invention encodes the above-mentioned insect-resistant protein.

Specifically, the insect-resistance gene, which is derived from a plant, has a sixth DNA having a 50% or more homology with DNA constituted of the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 in the Sequence Listing. Further, the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 encodes the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:4.

In addition, the insect-resistance gene, which is derived from a plant, has a seventh DNA having a 50% or more homology with DNA constituted of the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 in the Sequence Listing. Further, the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 encodes the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:5.

Further, the insect-resistance genes have at least one base sequence encoding the above-mentioned spppp sequence.

As used herein, the above insect-resistance gene refers to a factor specifying a genetic character. Typically, the gene is sequenced on a chromosome.

In addition, the above DNA encompasses genomic DNA, cDNA and chemosynthetic DNA. Further, genomic DNA and cDNA may be prepared by a well-known method.

In case of a homology of 100%, the DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 in the Sequence Listing and the sixth DNA have the same sequence, and the DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 in the Sequence Listing and the seventh DNA have the same sequence.

Accordingly, in the case of a homology of 100%, the insect-resistance gene of the present invention has the DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 in the Sequence Listing or the DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 in Sequence Listing.

The base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 or 7 in the Sequence Listing is identified by PCR utilizing a degenerate primer designed from the N-terminal amino acid sequence identified from a purified protein using cDNA obtained by a reverse transcription reaction using mulberry latex-derived total RNA as a template.

According to the insect-resistance gene of the present invention, genes are transferred into organisms such as plants, microorganisms, cultured cells, multicellular animals and plants and insects to allow hereditary breeding of insect-resistance gene organisms.

The homology of the insect-resistance gene of the present invention is described below.

The insect-resistance gene of the present invention has DNA having 50% or more homology with the DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 in the Sequence Listing or the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:7 in the Sequence Listing.

As used herein, a 50% or more homology means that, in a given base sequence (SEQ ID NO:6 or 7), 50% or more of bases are in the same sequence. Specifically, it means that one or a plurality of bases of less than 50% of a given base sequence may be changed by substitution, deletion, addition and/or insertion.

The above homology is preferably 70% or more, more preferably 80% or more, still more preferably 90% or more, further preferably 95% or more, still further preferably 98% or more, particularly preferably 99% or more, most preferably 100%.

In the base sequence of the insect-resistance gene of the present invention, the number of nucleotides (genes) which are substituted, deleted, added and/or inserted is not particularly limited where the DNA constituted by the base sequence has the desired insect resistance, but is preferably nine or less, more preferably four or less.

If it is in these ranges, the insect resistance is not eliminated.

Further, the insect-resistance gene includes, e.g., a mutant, a derivative, an allele, a variant and a homolog which are constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 6 or 7 except that one or a plurality of bases are substituted, deleted, added and/or inserted.

Methods for preparing DNA in accordance with such a base sequence, which are well known to those skilled in the art, include, for example, site-directed mutagenesis (Kramer, W. & Fritz, H.-J. (1987) Oligonucleotide-directed construction of mutagenesis via gapped duplex DNA. Methods in Enzymology, 154:350-367).

When a base sequence is analyzed using BLASTX, parameters are set at, for example, score=100 and wordlength=12. When the BLAST and Gapped BLAST programs are used, the default parameters of the respective programs are used.

Specifically, DNA constituted by a base sequence having a high homology with the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 or 7 can be isolated by hybridization under stringent conditions using DNA constituted by the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 or 7 as a probe and DNA constituted by a base sequence complementary to the base sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 or 7 as a primer.

The insect-resistance gene of the present invention also encompasses DNA encoding a protein having insect resistance equivalent to an insect-resistant protein which can be isolated by a hybridization or PCR technique in such a manner.

As used herein, hybridization under stringent conditions means the conditions of 6M urea, 0.4% SDS and 0.5×SSC or hybridization conditions having stringency equivalent thereto. Further, DNA having a higher homology can be isolated under conditions having a higher stringency, such as the conditions of 6M urea, 0.4% SDS and 0.1×SSC. Furthermore, the temperature may be about 40° C. or higher according to the conditions; if conditions having a higher stringency are required, the temperature may be about 50° C., or even about 65° C.

The above insect-resistance gene is preferably used in insect-resistant agents such as insecticides, agricultural chemicals and baits for resisting insects.

As used herein, the baits for resisting insects mean baits which contain an insect-resistant substance and exhibit insect resistance by feeding insects therewith. Specifically, where the above insect-resistance gene is used as a bait for resisting insects, by feeding, e.g., insects which damage humans or inhibit the growth of plants therewith, the growth of the insects is inhibited or the insects are killed, and therefore the insects can be easily removed.

(Recombinant Vector)

The recombinant vector of the present invention contains the above-mentioned insect-resistance gene.

The recombinant vector of the present invention has the function of carrying the above insect-resistance gene to a foreign host.

Thereby, the above insect-resistance gene can be integrated into other insect-resistance genes.

An E. coli-Agrobacterium shuttle vector or the like is used as the above recombinant vector.

(Host Cell)

The above recombinant vector is transferred into the host cell of the present invention.

Host cells are not particularly limited if being cells suitable for expression of recombinant proteins, but include e.g., yeast, various animal cells, plant cells and insect cells as well as E. coli.

Well-known methods may be used for transferring a recombinant vector into a host cell.

Plant cells of the present invention also include cells in plant bodies as well as cultured cells. In addition, protoplasts, shoot primordia, multiple shoots and hairy roots are included.

Well-known methods may be used for transferring recombinant vectors into plant cells.

For example, a polyethylene glycol method, electroporation, a method via Agrobacterium, a particle gun method and the like are included.

(Transformant)

The transformant of the present invention is transformed by the above-mentioned gene.

The transformant may be produced by well-known methods depending on the type of a plant. Further, as such plants, the above-mentioned monocotyledonous plants and dicotyledonous plants are used.

For example, a method of transferring a gene into a protoplast by polyethylene glycol to regenerate a plant body (Datta, S. K. (1995) In Gene Transfer To Plants (Potrykus I and Spangenberg Eds.) pp 66-74), a method of transferring a gene into a protoplast by electric pulses to regenerate a plant body (Toki et al. (1992) Plant Physiol. 100, 1503-1507), a method of transferring a gene into a cell or tissue by decompression or pressure treatment and electroporation to regenerate a plant body (electroporation method comprising use of decompression/pressure treatment (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Translation of PCT application) No. 2005-534299)), a method of directly transferring a gene into a cell by a particle gun method to regenerate a plant body (Christou et al. (1991) Bio/technology, 9:957-962) and a method of transferring a gene via Agrobacterium to regenerate a plant body (ultrafast monocotyledon transformation method (U.S. Pat. No. 3,141,084)) are included.

The redifferentiation of transformed plant cells enables the regeneration of a plant body.

If a transformed plant body in which the insect-resistance gene of the present invention or DNA expressing the insect-resistance gene of the present invention is transferred into a genome is obtained, a descendant can be provided from the transformed plant body by sexual or asexual reproduction.

Transformed plant bodies can be also mass-produced based on breeding materials (for example, seeds, fruits, ears, tubers, tubercles, stubs, callus, protoplast, etc.) obtained from the transformed plant bodies, as well as descendants or clones thereof. Further, the above transformed plant bodies include not only plant bodies transfected with the insect-resistance gene but also plant bodies transfected with insect-resistance gene for preparing an insect-resistant protein.

Plant cells transfected with the insect-resistance gene of the present invention, plant bodies including said plant cells, descendants and clones of said plant bodies, as well as breeding materials obtained from said plant bodies, descendants and clones thereof, are also included in the above transformant.

For example, in case of an insect (silkworm), a recombinant vector produced based on piggyBac may be transformed utilizing a method by Tamura et al. (Nat. Biotechnol. 18, 81-84, 2000).

In accordance with the transformant of the present invention, in plants transformed with the above gene, the complicated operation of spraying of agricultural chemicals may be omitted, and an effect can be easily produced against pest insects which lie hidden in plant tissues such as stems and are difficult to spray agricultural chemicals.

(Recovered Protein)

The protein of the present invention is recovered from the above host cells, the above plant cells and the above transformants.

For example, recombinant proteins expressed in host cells can be purified from the host cells or culture supernatant by well-known methods to recover the proteins. Further, when a recombinant protein is expressed as a fusion protein with the above-mentioned maltose binding protein, affinity purification can be easily carried out.

Microorganisms, cultured cells, multicellular animals and plants, and insects, which are transformants transfected with the insect-resistance gene of the present invention, are produced, and proteins expressed in the transformants can be recovered.

Such a recovered protein may be used as an insect-resistant agent such as agricultural chemicals having an insect resistance by spraying.

(Insect-Resistant Agent)

The insect-resistant agent of the present invention contains the above-mentioned insect-resistant protein or the above-mentioned insect-resistance gene as an active ingredient.

When the above insect-resistant protein is used as an insect-resistant agent, roughly purified or purified organisms such as microorganisms, plants and animals including the insect-resistant protein or the insect-resistant protein roughly purified or purified by a biochemical procedure from the insect-resistant protein expressed in the organisms is used. The roughly purified or purified protein is referred to as a purified insect-resistant protein.

As the form of the purified insect-resistant protein, liquid, powdery or granular form, a tablet or the like is used. Further, an extending agent, a spreading agent or the like may be appropriately added to the insect-resistant agents.

The content rate of the purified insect-resistant protein included in an insect-resistant agent may be 0.01 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the insect-resistant agent, preferably 0.02 mass % or more from the viewpoint of reliability.

As described above, the insect-resistant protein of the present invention shows sufficient insect resistance even in a small amount.

When the above insect-resistance gene is used as an insect-resistant agent, roughly purified or purified organisms such as microorganisms, plants and animals including the insect-resistance gene or the insect-resistance gene roughly purified or purified by a biochemical procedure from the insect-resistant gene expressed in the organisms is used.

The roughly purified or purified gene is referred to as a purified insect-resistance gene.

As the form of the purified insect-resistance gene, liquid, powdery or granular form, a tablet or the like is used. Further, an extending agent, a spreading agent or the like may be appropriately added to the insect-resistant agents.

The content rate of the purified insect-resistance gene included in an insect-resistant agent may be 0.01 mass % or more with respect to the total amount of the insect-resistant agent, preferably 0.02 mass % or more from the viewpoint of reliability.

As described above, the insect-resistance gene of the present invention shows sufficient insect resistance even in a small amount.

Examples

The present invention is described below referring to Examples but is not limited thereto.

(Collection of Insect-Resistant Protein)

An extracted latex (500 μl) from a moraceous plant (Species: Shin-ichinose) was centrifuged with a centrifuge (product name: KUBOTA Inverter Micro Refrigerated Centrifuge 1920, made by Kubota Corporation), wherein the conditions of the centrifugation were a rotational speed of 13,000 rps and 15 minutes.

In addition, a separated supernatant was taken out and filtered through a filter of 0.45 μm.

Subsequently, electrophoresis was carried out.

As the electrophoresis, 400 μl of supernatant was mixed with the equal amount of Native-PAGE buffer, a polyamide gel was added into the mixture so as to be 12.5% (rate of mass to volume), and Native-PAGE electrophoresis was carried out under nondenaturing conditions (room temperature of 25° C. and pH 6.8-8.8).

Further, the fraction 1 contained proteins from bands of 50-60 kDa; the fraction 2 contained proteins from bands of 44, 18 kDa; a fraction 3 contained a protein from a band of 60 kDa; a fraction 4 contained a protein from a band of 42 kDa; a fraction 5 contained almost no protein; and the fraction 6 contained proteins from bands of 30, 25 kDa.

(Experiment Description)

(Examination of Principal Fraction)

The protein determination of the fractions 1-6 was carried out by a bicinchoninic acid method (BCA Protein Assay Reagent Kit, PIERCE Corporation), purification was carried out, and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis (15% gel, 15 μl/lane) was carried out for the respective fractions.

The migrating images of the obtained results are shown in FIG. 1 (b). Further, M in FIG. 1 (b) means a molecular marker. The results revealed that the fractions 1-3 were the principal fractions of the latex proteins.

(Insect Resistance Evaluation 1)

Protein buffers (30 μl) of the respective fractions 1-6 were mixed with 100 mg of L4M (wet diet prepared by adding dry powder and water (1:2.5) to artificial diet for euryphagous insects and steaming the mixture; made by in Nosan Corporation), the mixtures were fed to hatched larvae of Eri silkworm (saturniid euryphagous lepidopteran insect), and their weights were measured after 2 days and 4 days. Further, the protein concentrations of the fraction 1 and fraction 2 in this case were 1 mg/ml, and the protein concentration of the fraction 3 was 0.4 mg/ml.

The graphs of the obtained results of the fractions 1-3 are illustrated in FIG. 2. Further, in FIG. 2, the vertical axis represents the weights of the hatched larvae and the horizontal axis represents days.

As shown in FIG. 2, remarkable insect-resistant activity (growth inhibition activity) was seen in the fraction 1 which is a fraction having a molecular weight of 50-60 kDa. In contrast, no insect-resistant activity (growth inhibition activity) was seen in the fractions 2 and 3.

In the fractions 4-6, no insect-resistant activity was also seen at all (not shown).

(Insect Resistance Evaluation 2)

Protein solutions of the fraction 1 were mixed with 1 g of L4M so as to be 0 (control), 90, 180 and 270 μg, the mixtures were fed to hatched larvae of Eri silkworm, and their weights were measured after 2 days and 4 days.

The graphs of the obtained results are illustrated in FIG. 3. Further, in FIG. 3, the vertical axis represents the weights of the hatched larvae and the horizontal axis represents days.

As is apparent from FIG. 3, the protein contained in the fraction 1 according to the present invention was confirmed to reduce the growth increment (weight increment) at low concentrations of 90 and 180 μg/g (0.01-0.02 mass % per wet diet, 0.03-0.06 mass % per dry diet, 0.1-0.2% per dietary protein) in half.

The growth inhibition effect was also remarkably shown after 2 days, a weight increment was also reduced in half after 2 days, etc. (the increment was further reduced after 4 days), and it was also thus found that the protein had the remarkable growth inhibition effect in a short time.

The above-mentioned concentrations are 10-100 times lower than those of proteins discovered till now and researched for practical use, and this protein is thus considered to have an effect per unit weight, which is 10-100 times higher than those of insect-resistant proteins which have been used (amylase inhibitors, lectins and protease inhibitors).

(Insect Resistance Evaluation 3)

Protein solutions of the fraction 1 were mixed with 1 g of L4M so as to be 0 (control), 120 and 300 μg, the mixtures were fed to hatched larvae of Mamestra brassicae belonging to the genus Mamestra, and their weights were measured after 6 days and 10 days.

The graphs of the obtained results are illustrated in FIG. 4. Further, in FIG. 4, the vertical axis represents the weights of the hatched larvae and the horizontal axis represents days.

As is apparent from FIG. 4, the protein contained in the fraction 1 according to the present invention was confirmed to reduce the growth increment (weight increment) at low concentrations of 120 and 300 μg/g in half or less.

(Protease Resistance)

Protein solutions of the fraction 1 were mixed and treated with proteases or insect digestive juice at such mixed proportions as shown in Table 1, and protease resistance was examined by SDS-polyacrylamide electrophoresis of the resultant samples. Further, such examination was carried out under the conditions of pH 8.8, 37° C. and 24 hours.

The migrating images of the obtained results are shown in FIG. 5.

TABLE 1

Amount of blended

Amount of

No

protein buffer

Protease

blended protease

1

150 μg/ml

N/A

0

(Final concentration)

2

150 μg/ml

Chymotrypsin

1 mg/ml

(Final concentration)

(Final concentration)

3

150 μg/ml

Trypsin

1 mg/ml

(Final concentration)

(Final concentration)

4

0

Chymotrypsin

1 mg/ml

(Final concentration)

5

0

Trypsin

1 mg/ml

(Final concentration)

6

150 μg/ml

Eri silkworm

20% (5-fold dilution)

(Final concentration)

digestive juice

7

150 μg/ml

Silkworm

20% (5-fold dilution)

(Final concentration)

digestive juice

8

0

Eri silkworm

20% (5-fold dilution)

digestive juice

9

0

Silkworm

20% (5-fold dilution)

digestive juice

As is apparent from No. 2, 3, 6 and 7 in FIG. 5, it was found that the protein contained in the fraction 1 according to the present invention is not decomposed by various proteolytic enzymes (proteases), including a proteolytic enzyme of insect digestive juice, at all since bands are seen at the positions of 50-60 kDa. Further, No. 4, 5, 8 and 9 in FIG. 5 reveal that the bands are not based on proteases.

This indicates that the insect-resistant protein of the present invention can maintain an effective activity even in an insect digestive tract having high protease activity.

It was confirmed from the above results that the insect-resistant protein of the present invention exhibits sufficient insect resistance against insects, even in a small amount.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The insect-resistant protein and insect-resistance gene of the present invention show sufficient insect resistance, even in a small amount. Accordingly, these are preferably used in insect-resistant agents such as insecticides, agricultural chemicals and baits for resisting insects.